ASHBURTON.

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 17937, 4 December 1923, Page 12

ASHBURTON.

PERSONAL. ' Mr G. H. Bullard. Commissioner of Crown Lands, is expected in Ashburton shortly to adjudicate in the dispute between the Borough Council and the County Council over a reserve in Harnpstead.

Mr Jas. W. Timlin, of Dunedin. the newly-appointed secretary to the Ashburton. Electric Power Board, -will commence his duties on December 17th. General News. A fire broke out in a, vacant section in Hampstcad yesterday at noon, but the outbreak was suppressed without the services of the Brigade being required. If a heavy wind had been blowing the consequences would have proved fatal to a liay paddock next door.

Good fishing at the Raugitata, and rather poor sport at the Ashburton, is the anglers' report for the weekend. At tho Rangitata many rods were busy. The largest catch was eight, ranging from seven to ninepounders. Other catches ranged 'in weight from four to Sjlb. Few trout of any size were present at the Ashburton mouth, though many herrings and kaliawai were landed. A campaign is being planned by the Ist Canterbury Mounted Kifie Band to raise money to defray contest expenses and included in the scheme a half-day and evening carnival on the Domain Oval, probably on the last Saturday in January. Last year tho task was a long and difficult one, because in addition to finding contest expenses the new uniforms had to be paid for. The su,m aimed at this year has not been stated. It will depend, perhaps, on the ultimate decision of tho band as to whether it will take part in both the North and South Island contests, or the latter 'only. A meeting of all interested is to be held on Thursday, when details will no doubt be explained.

A slight earthquake shock was felt in Ashburton about 4.35 a.m. yesterday. Whereas the warning-bell at the Burnett street iailway crossing is reported to be obsessed: with the idea that }t must ring and keep on ringing whether there is a train approaching or not, the bell at the Ilavelock street crossing has a bent in the direction of not ringing at all. Cricket. The third round of the senior grade and the fourth round of the second trado> competitions were concluded, on aturday. Methven still head the com* petition with one loss and. two wins, their defeat being at the hands of Ashburton, who now lie second with five points. Fairfield had no difficulty in defeating Tinwald and they' are now third with three points and Tinwald fourth with two points. _ ... Great interest was taken in .the match between Ashburton and the undefeated Methven team. Batting first Ashburton scored 211 and at the call of time on the previous Saturday Methven had lost six wickets for 87 runs. Continuing their innings Methven were dismissed for 140. Then came the brilHa.nt ■ partnership of the game. J. B. and A. M. Keeley opened Aslibuxton's second innings with the intention of forcing the pace'. Both batsmen played brilliantly and with 165 on Keeley lost his wicket. Methven played solidly to stave off a three point win for Ashburton and were successful, losing, .five wickets for 107-. Holland was the only player to make a stand in Methven's second innings, but his cricket was scratchy and he was lucky to make the runs. Owens played a very solid innings for 44 before he was clean bowled by : McNieoll. McNicoli was bowling wpll.on Saturdav, but he lost wickets through badly .placed slips. Dunn, after bowling well on the first day, was off colour on Saturday with sad results to his average. .\Nicpll and Keeley, who opened Ashburton's second innings, forced the pace, and played brillant cricket generally.' IJicbllis a colt of no mean order. .He was top scorer last season in the minor association match against the English eleven and is a rare field. He had compiled 92 with crisp shots round the wicket, when the innings was declared closed. Keeley also batted solidly, showing powerful leg shots and some good drives past cover. ' The feature of Methven's final innings was the fine batting of E. Burns, who was unbeaten with 72. He was very solid in defence, but showed a tendency to step back too far. In attack he was aggressive' and showed.a variety of shots, his weakest being a half-hearted poke through slip.9 which, fortunately for the batsman, landed clear on quite a number of occasions.

Fairfield, last year's cliampiobs, scored their first success of the season Tinwald. Tinwald batted first, scoring 221, but they were fully extended as the first five Fairfield batsmen easily passed the total. The score was the best that has been put up this season being three short of four centuries. Three batsmen Bcored over the half century, one just missing the coveted hundred by.three,.when the last wicket fell. Tinwald's second innings was a dismal failure with the exception of two men and Fairfield won by an innings and 04 runs. Drennan, Oclclesli'aw, and A. Willis, who scared 54, (51, and 97 not out respecitvely, helped, in the main to win the game for the ers. Each man was free and the score Went up rapidly. Wills is only a young player and all eyes will be turned to him next Saturday, at Sheffield, when the Ashburton representative team meets Malvern. Willis hit all round the wicket and the fieldsmen had a merry time for the latter half of Fairfield's inning 3. _ . . The severe gruelling received in tne field told on Tinwald and they were all out for 112 in the second innings. Brady and Fitzgerald hit lustily but received poor backing from the remainder of the team. Humphreys bowled well and secured six wieket3 for 62 runs. _ .. The representative team leaves on Saturday morning for Sheffield to' meet

Malvern. A number of Methven players are not available and tho team is not so strong as the Association expected. However, there is some young blood in the team and cricket enthusiasts will wait anxiously for the performances of Brosnan, Lewis, and A. Willis. Hickson Mission. (FBSSS ASSOCIATION TXLZO&JLK.) ASHBURTON, December 3. One of Mr Hickson's Miss Cooper, for 20 years had a crippled back as the result of an accident when a child. She was considerably bent, the small of the back being deformed. Miss Cooper at one time had a piece of bone removed from her back, t>ut, despite all the attention of many doctors, no appreciable improvement was apparent. Miss' Cooper had at all times to wear supports. "'Since the laying-on of hands by Mr Hickson she is able to walk as well as anyone." declared her father to a reporter. "'She can walk with a perfectly straight carriage, and_ does not suffer any of the - former inconveniences." .. The family is delighted at the cure, and deeply grateful. Mail Notices. Mails close, to-day: For Northern ports, at's.ls p.m.; late feo letters, 5.10 p.m~; guard's van, 6 p-m. Mails for Australian States and the East, per Manuka, from "Wellington, 11 a.m., December 7th, close in Ashburton at 5.15 p.m., December Gth. Mails for United Kingdom, Europe, and America, via Vancouver, will close at Ashburton on December Bth,. at 5.15 p.m.; money orders at noon. Mails for Tonga, Fiji and Samoa, will close at Ashburton on December 7th, at 2.45 p.m.